Skin color matters in Latino/a communities: Identifying, understanding, and addressing Mestizaje racial ideologies in clinical practice.

Posted in Articles, Identity Development/Psychology, Latino Studies, Media Archive, United States on 2016-02-21 21:49Z by Steven

Skin color matters in Latino/a communities: Identifying, understanding, and addressing Mestizaje racial ideologies in clinical practice.

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
Volume 47, Issue 1 (Feb 2016)
pages 46-55
DOI: 10.1037/pro0000062

Hector Y. Adames, Professor of Clinical Counseling Psychology

Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, Child Clinical Psychologist, Professor, Researcher

Kurt C. Organista, Associate Dean; Professor of Social Welfare
The San Francisco Foundation, San Francisco, California

Little attention has been paid to within-group differences among Latino/as, particularly with regards to skin color and related racial features. The few available studies suggest that skin color, physiognomy, and colorism (a form of within-group racial discrimination) can negatively affect interpersonal relations, mental health, educational attainment, and income among Latino/as. Considering factors such as skin color and physiognomy in the general well-being and mental health treatment of Latino/as may foster rapport building in therapy and better treatment outcomes for individuals across the color gradient. Integrating such factors may also contribute to the provision of culturally responsive and racially conscious services to individuals from this community. Thus, there is an urgent need for mental health practitioners to understand and address the impact of skin color and physiognomy on the lived experience of Latino/as. The purpose of this paper is to help prepare mental health practitioners working with Latino/as to identify, acknowledge, and respond to the clinical implications of skin color, racial features, and colorism. To achieve this goal, 3 objectives are outlined. First, the concept of Mestizaje racial ideologies, a myopic view that places individuals of Latino/a descent from the entire color spectrum into one racial category, is presented. Second, a case vignette is offered to illustrate how topics related to skin color and colorism may present themselves in clinical practice. Finally, the article concludes with a model to assist mental health practitioners, educators, and clinical supervisors gain the knowledge, awareness, and clinical skills to competently address the role of skin color and physiognomy when working with Latino/as.

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Working with multiracial clients in therapy: Bridging theory, research, and practice

Posted in Articles, Identity Development/Psychology, Media Archive on 2009-10-27 01:49Z by Steven

Working with multiracial clients in therapy: Bridging theory, research, and practice

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
Vol 39(2)
Apr 2008
pages 192-201

Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, Associate Professor
California Polytechnic State University

Lisa M. Edwards, Assistant Professor, Director of Child/Adolescent Community Program
Marquette University

Shane J. Lopez

The growing multiracial population has resulted in a need for professional psychologists to become knowledgeable about unique identity issues that may influence therapy with multiracial clients. The overarching goal of this article is to provide clinicians with current theory and research, as well as particular therapeutic strategies that will be useful in their work with multiracial clients. Specifically, this article (a) provides a brief review of some prevalent models of multiracial identity; (b) discusses several common themes derived from theory and research about multiracial identity, which should be taken into account when working with this population; and (c) offers some specific techniques and strategies that may be used in therapy to develop more accurate conceptualizations of multiracial clients.

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